Printing device, control method, and non-transitory recording medium

Abstract

A printing device 1 includes a platen roller 7 which feeds a thermal tape 42 , a thermal head 8 which performs printing on the thermal tape 42 , and a control circuit 12 . The control circuit 12 rotates the platen roller 7 backward to feed the thermal tape 42 backward in order to make a printing start area PT of the thermal tape 42 reach a backward feed position more away from an outlet 2 b than a normal position NP of the thermal head 8 . After that, the control circuit 12 rotates the platen roller 7 forward to perform printing using the thermal head 8.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A printing device comprising:
 a feeding roller which feeds a print medium; 
 a print head which performs printing on the print medium; and 
 a control unit which, under control of a stored program, is configured to control execution of processes comprising:
 determining a backward feed position, the backward feed position corresponding to an amount of movement by which the print head deviates from a normal position thereof when the print medium is fed backward by backward rotation of the feeding roller, and the backward feed position being further away from an outlet of the printing device than the normal position of the print head; 
 rotating the feeding roller backward to feed the print medium backward until it is determined that a printing start area of the print medium corresponds to the backward feed position; and 
 after determining that the printing start area of the print medium corresponds to the backward feed position, rotating the feeding roller forward to perform printing using the print head. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The printing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising an information acquisition unit which acquires information on the print medium,
 wherein the control unit is configured to determine the backward feed position based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit. 
 
     
     
       3. The printing device according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the information acquisition unit includes a width detection unit which detects a width of the print medium, and 
 the control unit is configured to determine the backward feed position according to the width of the print medium. 
 
     
     
       4. The printing device according to  claim 3 , wherein the control unit is configured to, in a case in which the detected width of the print medium is a first width, set the backward feed position as a position more away from the outlet than a position set in a case in which the detected width of the print medium is a second width wider than the first width. 
     
     
       5. The printing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the backward feed position is a position a predetermined distance more away from the outlet than the normal position of the print head. 
     
     
       6. The printing device according to  claim 5 , wherein the predetermined distance is at least a distance corresponding to an estimated maximum of movement. 
     
     
       7. The printing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to cause the print head to start printing on the print medium when the printing start area reaches the normal position by forward rotation of the feeding roller. 
     
     
       8. The printing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to:
 determine, based on print data, of whether a runup period from a start of forward rotation of the feeding roller until a start of printing using the print head is necessary, 
 when determining that the runup period is necessary, rotate the feeding roller backward to make the printing start area reach the backward feed position before the start of printing, and 
 when determining that the runup period is unnecessary, rotate the feeding roller backward to make the printing start area reach the normal position before the start of printing. 
 
     
     
       9. A control method executed by a printing device including a feeding roller which feeds a print medium, a print head which performs printing on the print medium, and a control unit, the method being executed under control of the control unit, and the method comprising:
 determining a backward feed position, the backward feed position corresponding to an amount of movement by which the print head deviates from a normal position thereof when the print medium is fed backward by backward rotation of the feeding roller, and the backward feed position being further away from an outlet of the printing device than the normal position of the print head; 
 rotating the feeding roller backward to feed the print medium backward until it is determined that a printing start area of the print medium corresponds to the backward feed position; and 
 after determining that the printing start area of the print medium corresponds to the backward feed position, rotating the feeding roller forward to perform printing using the print head. 
 
     
     
       10. A non-transitory recording medium recording a computer-readable program executed by a printing device including a feeding roller which feeds a print medium, a print head which performs printing on the print medium, and a processor, the program being executable by the processor to control the processor to execute control of processes comprising:
 determining a backward feed position, the backward feed position corresponding to an amount of movement by which the print head deviates from a normal position thereof when the print medium is fed backward by backward rotation of the feeding roller, and the backward feed position being further away from an outlet of the printing device than the normal position of the print head; 
 rotating the feeding roller backward to feed the print medium backward until it is determined that a printing start area of the print medium corresponds to the backward feed position; and 
 after determining that the printing start area of the print medium corresponds to the backward feed position, rotating the feeding roller forward to perform printing using the print head.